Health Records Go High Tech

CNN Health Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is reported yesterday that she recently learned her insurance company was storing her health records online. She seemed a little concerned she didn’t know about that-and she has a point. It’s tough to know what standards her insurance company is using and how secure her records really are.
At the same time, AARP was on Capitol Hill yesterday talking to congress about how to make sure medical records are safe, but also make sure your doctors have access to the information they need to keep you healthy.
Electronic health records and health information technology (or Health IT if you’re saving time) have been proven to reduce mistakes and improve efficiency when it comes to health care. That saves lives and money, but only if the government sets standards for security and interoperability.
Now, your bank card wouldn’t be very useful if it didn’t work at all ATMs and your health records won’t do much good if they’re locked on a computer in Albuquerque while you’re on vacation in Hawaii.